Newsletters

by Timothy Burke
Sarasota, Florida

Calderon's Company

"Las Conquistadoras"


My wife, Jennifer, recently completed her
graduate studies and at long last finds herself with
some free time again. She's considering spending
some of this in the modern sixteenth century.  Realizing
that she'll never pass for the ship's boy, she was
curious as to the role of women on expeditions
to the New World.  My suggestion that the camp
could use a laundress was met with this reply:
"The proper way to wash a codpiece is to place it
in freezing cold water and crush the foul thing
between two large flat rocks."  So at her suggestion,
some examples of women on expeditions to the New World.

Although men comprised the vast majority of those taking
part in the Spanish entradas of the first half of the sixteenth century,
such expeditions were not exclusively
male. The chronicles of the time reflect the fact that many
women, with their retainers, accompanies their husbands
from Spain to the New World. Still others stayed with
these expeditions as they ventured into unknown regions
and some even went so far as to actively participate in
combat when circumstances required.

*       *      *  

Cortez c. 1521 in Mexico

Hernan Cortes' army of Spaniards was accompanied by a large number of
native auxiliaries. Most notable among these was "Dona Marina," formerly
Malinali, a Mayan noblewoman who served as interpreter.  A few Spanish
women also traveled: these were two sisters of Diego de Ordaz, three or
four maids, and one or two women who went as house keepers. The exact
role of these particular "conquistadoras" - the word was used by Andrea del
Castillo, Francisco de Montejo's daughter-in-law, in a subsequent inquiry - is
unclear.  But no doubt the lady was correct when she said that, when women
of her quality did take part in these engagements, their work
was considerable. One or two of these women certainly
later fought effectively.

Several Castillian women established themselves in Cortes' camp as nurses;
Isabel Rodriguez, for example, who was said to have a legendary touch with
the wounded; and Beatriz de Pardes, a mulata who not only nursed but on
occasion fought in the place of her husband, Pedro de Escoto.2

   At the feast celebrating the fall of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) When the
the tables were taken away there was gambling- and dancing. The few
women who had been with the expedition came into their own:

Maria de Estrada, for example the extraordinary conquistadora whose valor
at the battle of the bridges on the noche triste had inspired such admiration;
and Francisca, the sister of Diego de Ordaz. The two girls caled "la Bermuda"
were there. these adventurous women went gaily to dance with men still in
their quilted armor.3

Narvaez c.1528 in La Florida

continued.....